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Author
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Topic: A Blessed Candlemas, St Brigid & Imbolc To All
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juniperb
Knowflake Posts: 6830
From: Blue Star Kachina
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted February 02, 2008 12:20 PM
 
February 2, Brigid is celebrated at the Gaelic festival of Imbolc, when she brings the first stirrings of spring to the land. Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and some Anglicans mark the day as the Feast of Saint Brigid; the festival is also known as Candlemas and Purification of the Virgin.
... and a shadow free ground hog day!!!
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~
What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world is immortal"~ - George Eliot IP: Logged |
Nephthys
Moderator Posts: 3800
From: California
Registered: Oct 2001
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posted February 02, 2008 12:28 PM
Juni, Isn't today your birthday?????Happy Birthday!  IP: Logged |
Mirandee
Knowflake Posts: 4812
From: South of the Thumb - Taurus, Pisces, Cancer
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted February 03, 2008 12:24 AM
Blessed Candlemas to you as well, Juni  Brigid of Ireland  Daughter of Dubtach, pagan Scottish king of Leinster, and Brocca, a Christian Pictish slave who had been baptized by Saint Patrick. Just before Brigid's birth, her mother was sold to a Druid landowner. Brigid remained with her mother till she was old enough to serve her legal owner Dubtach, her father. She grew up marked by her high spirits and tender heart, and as a child, she heard Saint Patrick preach, which she never forgot. She could not bear to see anyone hungry or cold, and to help them, often gave away things that were Dubtach's. When Dubtach protested, she replied that "Christ dwelt in every creature". Dubtach tried to sell her to the King of Leinster, and while they bargained, she gave a treasured sword of her father's to a leper. Dubtach was about to strike her when Brigid explained she had given the sword to God through the leper, because of its great value. The King, a Christian, forbade Dubtach to strike her, saying "Her merit before God is greater than ours". Dubtach solved this domestic problem by giving Brigid her freedom. Brigid's aged mother was in charge of her master's dairy. Brigid took charge ,and often gave away the produce. But the dairy prospered under her (hence her patronage of milk maids, dairy workers, cattle, etc.), and the Druid freed Brigid's mother. Brigid returned to her father, who arranged a marriage for her with a young bard. Bride refused, and to keep her virginity, went to Bishop Mel, a pupil of Saint Patrick's, and took her first vows. Legend says that she prayed that her beauty be taken from her so no one would seek her hand in marriage; her prayer was granted, and she regained her beauty only after making her vows. Another tale says that when Saint Patrick heard her final vows, he mistakenly used the form for ordaining priests. When told of it he replied, "So be it, my son, she is destined for great things." Her first convent started with seven nuns. At the invitation of bishops, she started convents all over Ireland. She was a great traveller, especially considering the conditions of the time, which led to her patronage of travellers, sailors, etc. Brigid invented the double monastery, the monastery of Kildare that she ran on the Liffey river being for both monks and nuns. Saint Conleth became its first bishop; this connection and the installation of a bell that lasted over 1000 years apparently led to her patronage of blacksmiths and those in related fields. IP: Logged |
yourfriendinspirit
Moderator Posts: 2528
From: California, USA
Registered: Oct 2006
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posted February 03, 2008 12:38 AM
There is a lovely Irish prayer to Saint Bridget (the Christianized version of Brighde) that I would like to share with you: INVOCATION TO
SAINT BRIDE Dear Saint Bridget of the Kine
Bless these little fields of mine,
The pastures and the shady trees,
Bless the butter and the cheese,
Bless the cows with coats of silk
And the brimming pails of milk,
Bless the hedgerows, and I pray
Bless the seed beneath the clay,
Bless the hay and bless the grass,
Bless the seasons as they pass,
And heaven's blessings will prevail,
Brigid - Mary of the Gael. While she has been turned in to a saint and made analogous to the Virgin Mary, in this prayer, Bridget also remains the Goddess of Imbolc - of the kine (cattle) and of the seed that moves for the first time by itself "beneath the clay."
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Sendin' love your way,
"your friend in spirit" 
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Mirandee
Knowflake Posts: 4812
From: South of the Thumb - Taurus, Pisces, Cancer
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted February 03, 2008 01:46 AM
Most saints are pumped up by the ones who write about them. Most of what is written are just tales or legends. I don't think any of them cared to be canonized. They just did their thing out of love.  Although it's nice that Juni gets to celebrate her birthday with someone besides a rodent. LOL Even though they are kind of cute.
This year the groundhog is armed because he is getting tired of being awakened every Feb. 2nd and dragged out of his cozy little hole for a photo op on the evening news . 
My humble apologies to St. Brigid. Sometimes I just can't help myself. 
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yourfriendinspirit
Moderator Posts: 2528
From: California, USA
Registered: Oct 2006
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posted February 03, 2008 02:16 AM
YIKES! Mirandee, you weren't kidding!
I have never before seen such a phenomonal thing.
Click here to view the groundhog in actionI did find one however that was all about PEACE
Horticulture Specialist Groundhog was asleep till noon then woke up with the munchies.
Here we see him rolling his own special green blend. ------------------
Sendin' love your way,
"your friend in spirit" IP: Logged |
Motherkonfessor
Knowflake Posts: 1140
From:
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted February 04, 2008 02:26 AM
Thanks for the post, juni.And, happy birthday. Blessed Be! MK IP: Logged | |
Lindaland
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